Red
by zhul2814
Summary: Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn fluff. Thanks to my wonderful, wonderful Beta, Kelli.


Authors note: I don't own Batman, Poison Ivy, the Joker or Harley. I'm only playing with them.  
_

"Red?"

"Reeeeeeeeeeeeed? Where are you?"

Silence.

Harley pouted. It was a very spectacular pout. A pout of this magnitude would bring even bring _him _around. She tried not to think of him anymore. She could still feel the bruises, and frankly, that was enough.

"Red, please," Harley stomped her foot, trying to keep the fear from creeping into her voice, "you know I hate being here without you!" Her former hideout had none of its former….

Who was Harley kidding? She hated this place.

It still smelled of _him_. It smelled of his grease paint and his dogs; his poison and his gunpowder. She could hear those damned hyenas, always barking and snapping their jaws. What the hell could Red even need here? Mistah J had died three weeks ago, and Bats had searched high and low, and never found a thing.

She hunkered down, drawing her knees to her chest. She exhaled, her breath rising quickly as steam. It was colder than she had first thought, and she was ready to be home, damn it!

"Red!" she shouted, stamping once more, the sound of her heal echoing down the empty hall.

She smelled the perfume before she saw Ivy, a wicked smile on her face. Harley's head swam for a moment, making the air around Ivy appear shimmer.

"Ready to go, Miss Quinzel?"

"I been ready for aaaaaaaagggges Red!"

"Oh, Harley, please don't be cross at me. I was merely looking for something Batman had overlooked."

"Well, didja find it?" Harley was interested, but she was cold, letting her partner know it.

"No," Ivy purred, holding the door for Harley as they left," but then again, it really wasn't anything important."

Harley couldn't believe it! She had followed Ivy into the cold Gotham air, in _November_, for something unimportant? She grumbled as they snuck their way back into warm, warm Arkham.

The water gently massaged the deep, aching cold away from Harley. She stood still for a minute, letting the rivulets of water twist and drip down her body. The bruises never seemed to heal. She hissed slightly as she ran her soapy hands over her ribs. The Joker had taken a crowbar to her when she didn't laugh at a joke a month ago. He always had the worst temper.

They all said she was crazy for staying as long as she did, and maybe they were right. She had never known J to give her presents, or shower her in affection. She had only known him as a violent, sadistic psychopath. He would beat her at a moment's notice. He would laugh and cackle, his voice rising higher and higher as he pummeled and struck her. He would rave and scream, accusing her of aiding the Batman. He had placed his revolver to her temple and pulled the trigger. She left as quickly as she could when he had laughed himself to sleep at her crying. That was the evening she had run to Red the first time.

Red. She never asked questions that Harley never wanted to answer. She would let Harley stay as long as she wanted, as long as she needed. Harley would spend days in bed, Red by her side. She would let Harley cry, whispering that he couldn't find them here, that she'd never let him.

Harley dried off, bringing herself back to reality. The bruises would heal, in time. But he'd never hurt her again, she was sure of that.

The cell was always at its best when they were together. Red was allowed her plants, and they bathed the room in petals and perfumes. Red would sing to them, and they to her. Red could get the plants to grow in ways Harley knew no one else could. Red would smile at her as she gardened, and Harley could only blush.

With each passing day after their "adventure", Harley thought more and more about what Red had been looking for. Red had been very illusive about the subject. When Harley would broach the topic, Red always managed to distract her with kisses and that heavy, head-swimming perfume of hers.

"Oh, Harley," Red purred from across the cell, "won't you come see what I found?"

Harley could barely contain her excitement. "Oh, Red, what iiiiiissssss iiiiiiitttt? Oh won't you show me?"

Ivy giggled, her laughter making Harley's poor head swim once again. Ivy leaned in whisper close, her lips merely inches away from Harley's. Oh how Harley hated when Red teased her so.

Harley looked away for a moment, trying to clear her head when she saw it. It was a picture, one of the few J had of her. She was smiling, a great, big _truly_ _happy_ smile. It must have been from the early days, Harley thought, because she hadn't smiled like that in a long time. Harley couldn't find the words, so Ivy found them for her.

"I heard him bragging one day. He said he had the prettiest girl hidden away somewhere. So, naturally, I had to have it." Ivy smiled, placing a kiss against Harley's temple.

Harley felt herself letting go. She let go of J. She pushed him away for the last time, far enough so he could never touch or hurt her. She felt herself holding on to Red. She knew Red would keep her and protect her. She knew Red was hers, and she was Red's.

Harley's breath hitched, and she rested her head on Ivy's shoulder, wrapping her arms around her. They were quiet for a time, neither wanting to spoil the moment with words.

Harley smiled, knowing that there would be truly happy days to come.


End file.
